Will Mumbai mayor’s bungalow be part of Bal Thackeray memorial?

While the Shiv Sena has finalised plots adjacent to the mayor’s bungalow at Shivaji Park and its garden for the memorial to the late Sena chief Bal Thackeray, there is a demand from within the party that the mayor’s residence be shifted elsewhere and the heritage bungalow be included as part of the memorial.

While the Shiv Sena has finalised plots adjacent to the mayor’s bungalow at Shivaji Park and its garden for the memorial to the late Sena chief Bal Thackeray, there is a demand from within the party that the mayor’s residence be shifted elsewhere and the heritage bungalow be included as part of the memorial.

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Thackeray was known to come for his evening walks to the garden in the bungalow along the sea-face and hold important meetings there.

However, considering the location of the heritage bungalow, and its history, sources from the government say that it likely to face stiff opposition from citizens.

On June 5, Hindustan Times reported how the Sena had finalised the plot and the idea was to have it at Shivaji Park, in line with the Savarkar memorial, where Thackeray always held his rallies; Sena Bhavan is just a stone’s throw away.

“There is feeling in the party that we can convert the bungalow into a museum that can display Balasaheb’s cartoons and magazines, and his life and achievements. Uddhavji and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will have a joint meeting where this could be finalised,” a senior Sena leader said.

However, there was no confirmation from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on this development.

In 2014, on the second death anniversary of the late Sena chief, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had promised to construct a memorial befitting the leader’s stature, following which a committee selected seven plots.